How well do you know the woman next door?
When Stina and Jack move to an old rural cottage, they’re hoping for a fresh start. Their new home is run-down compared to their neighbour’s, but generous Mrs Barley quickly becomes a friend.
Until Stina sees a mysterious figure in the widow’s garden, and her happy new life begins to unravel. And when she hears strange noises in the night, she is forced to question if Mrs Barley is what she seems.
Why do the other villagers whisper about her? Why is she so eager to help the couple? And what is she hiding in her picture-perfect home?
This,at times gothic tale opens with a chilling chapter that was set in 1964, then the story slips to in time to 2012 where we are introduced to our main characters Stina (I loved that name) and her fiance Jack. We follow their story as Stina discovers that she is pregnant, they get married and decide to move away from Birmingham to Wisteria Cottage which is situated in the picturesque village of Avoncote. With their two year old Border Collie Jobie completing their tiny family, life was good but Stina couldn't help feeling that things were just too good to be true.
The building adjoining their new home was called Rose Cottage and was owned by Mrs Marley, a elderly widower who's only visitor appeared to be odd job Bob. As time passed and Stina became friendly with some of the villagers, she learned that they didn't like Mrs Marley, some even called her a witch. Stina and Jack felt sorry for their elderly neighbour, yes, her moods were unpredictable, she had some unusual beliefs and a battered - looking crow had been visiting her for years but she had been nothing but welcoming and helpful towards the couple since they had moved into their cottage.
But then, strange things started happening, people came down with unexpected and sudden ailments, someone Stina was very close to died under mysterious circumstances and Stina kept seeing a unknown man in Mrs Marley's back garden. Why did it appear that Stina was the only person who could see him? Was he a ghost or was lack of sleep playing with her mind and causing her to hallucinate? Could she possibly have inherited her mother's mental health issues? Or was Stina not the only person who couldn't escape events from the past?
Stina was a complex character, a relatable mix of conflicting emotions, pregnancy hormones and sleep deprivation. I loved how open minded she was about the possible existence of ghosts unlike Jack with his analytical and dismissive attitude. I liked how she remained loyal to Mrs Marley despite the opinions of the villagers and her own occasional doubts about her elderly neighbour. Stina certainly had a caring side to her character which was probably due to her own tragic backstory but as the story unfolded it also became apparent that she was hiding something from her past. I really liked Stina's fiercely loyal best friend Reggie, she was a fantastic character who was also harbouring secrets of her own.
Mrs Marley came across as a kindly but at times stalker like old lady who had been unjustly and unkindly ostracized by the villagers who appeared to be trapped in a time warp. The May Day celebrations reminded me of the creepy scene from iconic and atmospheric 1970s series The Children Of The Stones as did the comments that the villager made to Stina. The elderly lady was a realistic and at times creepy individual but was she actually a witch or just a lonely old lady with a dark and tragic past?
Whisper Cottage is a mesmerising, extremely well written blend of a number of genre's with a gothic and haunting plot that contains a dark, unexpected twist. I will be honest and admit that the story took a while to draw me in but once it did grab my attention, I found myself captivated and didn't want to put my kindle down. I find it difficult to believe that this book is this author's debut psychological thriller and I look forward to reading many more of her books in the future
AUTHOR BIO
Anne Wyn Clark lives in the UK, in the Midlands, with her husband, son and a feisty chinchilla. She has three (now grown-up) children and five grandchildren. She is particularly partial to Italian food, decent red wine (or any coloured wine come to that...) and cake - and has been known to over-indulge in each on occasions. She is passionate about animals and their welfare. Whilst she has enjoyed writing for many years, a love of all things gothic inspired her to try her hand at producing something dark and twisty, culminating in the haunting Whisper Cottage.
Social Media Links –
Twitter: https:// twitter.com/ EAClarkAuthor
PUBLICATION DATE: 2nd September 2021
Purchase Link -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whisper-Cottage-completely-addictive-psychological-ebook/dp/B08WCK4VG2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11SINOZFXSTPU&dchild=1&keywords=whisper+cottage&qid=1631572059&s=books&sr=1-1
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